Fluid valves are used extensively in pipelines for controlling the flow of various fluids by rotating a driving member, such as a valve shaft, which is connected by a joint connection to a driven member, such as a valve closure member. In assembling the joint connection for a valve currently in use, the valve shaft is inserted into the valve closure member and holes are drilled through the closure member and into the shaft. A taper reamer is then inserted into the holes to make a tapered hole extending from the valve closure member and into the shaft.
Next, tapered pins having a tapered cylindrical, cone-shaped cross section, are inserted into the valve closure member and wedged into the tapered hole joint between the shaft and the closure member. Two or more pins are used, and the pins must be selected in taper and length to match the particular tapered hole made by the taper reamer. Matching of the two or more taper pins to a particular tapered hole made by the taper reamer leads to a time consuming installation procedure. As an example, if the person making the taper reamer inserted the taper reamer tool just a small amount into the drilled hole, the taper would be narrower and different than if the reamer was inserted farther or deeper into the hole. Accordingly, the taper pins must be carefully matched to the particular taper set by the depth of insertion of the taper reamer. The tapered holes formed by the taper reamer results in two matched parts, i.e., the closure member and the shaft. Furthermore, if the joint connection fails and must be repaired, the same time consuming matching of two or more taper pins to be wedged into the particular tapered hole is required as in the initial valve assembly.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide a fluid valve with an improved joint connection which can be more readily assembled in significantly less time and with less critical parts than prior units.
Furthermore, it is desired to provide a valve closure member and valve shaft joint interconnection wherein the joint component parts are completely interchangeable thereby eliminating any need for prior matched set of joint parts requiring special fitting at the time of assembly.